Pocket Pets Healthcare

Rabbits

Vaccination your Rabbit

A new strain of the rabbit calicivirus RHDV2 was confirmed in New Zealand in May 2018.

A vaccine called Filavac® is now being imported into NZ and will protect against both strains of RHDV. It can be given from 10 weeks of age with an annual booster and is in stock at Clive Cottage Vet Clinic.

Cylap is still available and will protect against the strain known to be in our area.

However, due to its inability to protect against RHDV2, we recommend using Filavac whenever possible.

More than one calicivirus (MPI Website)

There are several strains of rabbit calicivirus (also known as Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV)) in New Zealand:

• RHDV1 is widespread.
• RHDV1 K5 was introduced here in March 2018 (to control wild rabbits).
• RHDV2 was detected in wild rabbit samples collected in 2017.
• RHDV strains only affect rabbits and the European hare (RHDV2), they don't present a danger to cats, dogs, or any other type of animal.

How it spreads

Rabbits get the virus:

• From direct contact with other rabbits – through their eyes, nose, and mouth
• From flies, fleas, and possibly some mosquitos, which can carry the virus.
• Urine, faeces, and respiratory secretions may also shed the virus.

To minimise the risk to your rabbits (NZVA Website):

• Control insects (especially flies and fleas) as much as possible both indoors and outdoors. Flies are the main vector through which the virus is spread.
• Remove uneaten food on a daily basis so as not to attract flies.
• Keep your pet rabbit indoors where possible.
• Rabbit-proof your backyard to prevent access by wild rabbits.
• Regularly decontaminate equipment and materials (eg. cages, hutches, bowls) with either 10% bleach or 10% sodium hydroxide. Leave for 10 minutes then rinse off.
• Limit contact with and handling of unfamiliar pet rabbits.Take special precautions if attending events where unfamiliar rabbits are present, such as petting zoos, rabbit shows and rescue centres.
• Use good biosecurity measures (eg. wash hands, shoes and clothing) after handling other people’s rabbits.
• Avoid cutting grass and feeding it to your rabbits if there is the risk of contamination from wild rabbits.
• Sick rabbits must be isolated from other rabbits until 14 days after they have fully recovered.
• Take any dead rabbits to your veterinarian for cremation rather than burying them to avoid contaminating your property with the virus and putting any new rabbits you introduce at risk.
• Isolate new rabbits for 7 days and ensure they are in good health before introducing to other pet rabbits.
• Rinse all leafy greens well before feeding them to rabbits. While feeding rabbits leafy greens remains a risk for introducing RHDV2, the benefits of feeding these is considered to outweigh the risks.

How to care for a Rabbit:

• Rabbits have continuously growing teeth so need to chew a lot to wear these down. Hay and grass are perfect for this and should constitute 80% of their diet. Concentrated food pellets fill rabbits up too quickly, so they don’t do extra chewing. You should only feed a maximum of 1/8 of a cup of pellets per kg of rabbit.
• Lettuce with high water content such as iceberg lettuce is not good for rabbits. Darker more fibrous lettuces like Romaine can be OK in small amounts.
• Foods such as root vegetables like carrots and fruits contain high levels of sugars so should only be fed in small amounts as a treat. It is better to give them leafy greens such as kale, spinach and silverbeet.
• Rabbits can get lice and fleas. Talk to us about suitable treatments from these as some flea treatments can be toxic to rabbits.
• Rabbits can get diarrhoea if the food they are eating has a high water content such as fresh spring grass. Rabbits should be checked daily for evidence of faecal build up and this cleaned off, so flies aren’t attracted to it.
• Rabbits should be desexed to prevent unwanted pregnancies and reduce the risk of reproductive cancers. It can also make the boys a bit quieter for handling.
• Rabbits can be litter box trained so they can be indoors but be careful of electrical cords as they do like to chew.

Diet is the most important aspect of your rabbit’s life! Did you know that most of the problems we see in rabbits are caused by inappropriate diet?

Rabbit diet doesn’t need to be complicated! It’s easy once you get it right and in most cases you actually save money doing it the right way! Your furry little friend needs a lot of roughage and fibre. Here is an example of what your rabbit’s diet should comprise:

• 80-90% – Hay and grass
• 10-15% – Leafy greens
• 0-2.5% – Pellets (not muesli!)
• 0-2.5% – Fruits and treats

Hay is an incredibly important part of the diet. Did you know that rabbits need to eat their own poo to live healthily? Providing them with enough hay in their diet ensures that they can eat the poos that they need to thrive. Hay is also essential to maintain healthy teeth. Rabbits teeth never stop growing, and they need hay to help keep them nice and short! Make sure that the hay you are feeding is free from dust and mould. Always ensure that your rabbits have access to hay at all times during the day.

ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR RABBIT HAS CONSTANT ACCESS TO CLEAN AND FRESH DRINKING WATER!

Housing

Your rabbit needs more space than you think. Rabbits should be able to hop three-four times from one end of the hutch to the other with no obstacles in their way. They should be able to stand fully on their hind legs. If they can’t do this, the hutch simply isn’t big enough.

Rabbits love to be indoors or outdoors, just make sure they have an area to hide away in case they get scared. Make sure that they also have somewhere that is out of direct sunlight as rabbits can overheat very easily.

Handling

Most rabbits don’t like to be picked up, but do enjoy sitting on laps for a cuddle.

If you do pick up your rabbit make sure that you support the bum

Company

Rabbits like to live together. In the wild, rabbits live in great families. They don’t like to be alone. We recommend keeping two rabbits together as long as they are desexed and aren’t fighting. The best pairing you’ll get is between a desexed male and a desexed female.

Common conditions in Rabbits

Gut Stasis

Gut stasis (when the guts stop moving) is a life threatening condition and must be seen as an emergency.

What to look out for:

• Quiet behaviour
• Lethargy
• Inappetence
• Decreased frequency of defecation
• Painful or bloated abdomen

If you think your rabbit might be suffering from any of the above problems, please contact us immediately. If your rabbit hasn’t eaten for 24 hours or more, their chance of survival dramatically decreases, so it is especially important to get them seen as soon as possible.

Dental Disease

Dental disease is very common in rabbits and can be caused by a poor diet. Some rabbits can be born with bad teeth and these will need to be closely monitored throughout their life.

What to look out for:

• Inappetence
• Drooling
• Weeping eyes
• Congested nose
• Overgrown front teeth
• Pain in the mouth

If you think that your animal is suffering from any of the above, please contact us immediately.

Guinea Pigs Healthcare

The guinea pig comes from South America and is also called Guinean piglet. It is a rodent that has few requirements. They are originally somewhat shy animals.

If you buy a guinea pig you must first overcome that shyness, do this calmly and with a lot of patience. Once they are tame, they are very friendly and calm, but never make unexpected movements, because a guinea pig can then startle..

The adult male weighs between 900-1600 grams and the adult female between 700-1000 grams.

Guinea pigs come in all sorts of colors and in smooth-haired, rough-haired and long-haired varieties. They have 2 sharp incisors in the upper and lower jaws that wear on each other. The food stays in the stomach for only few hours and the digestion takes 2 to 7 days.

It is difficult to get a guinea pig house trained, take this into account when they walk into the room.

The guinea pig is on average between 5-10 years old, but older is of course also possible.

When purchasing you can take one guinea pig if you plan to handle it a lot. If they are often alone, it is better to take 2 guinea pigs. Never take 2 uncastrated bears, because they can fight. Get them castrated, even if there is a sow. The urine of a male can smell, this will be less if you have him castrated.

Guinea pigs are generally very friendly animals and will not bite you. If a dog or cat grows up with a guinea pig, they can easily be kept together.

The guinea pig regularly eats its dung, this is necessary for certain vitamins and is therefore normal.

Care for a guinea pig

The guinea pig can be brushed once or twice a week, keeping the coat shiny and preventing hair loss. Long-haired guinea pigs need to be combed more often.

Check nails regularly and possibly have them cut. Check the soles of their feet daily and remove any caked up dirt. Long teeth may need to be cut.

As toys they like willow branches or a piece of wood to gnaw. They also like to climb on and through everything.

Lifting the guinea pig: one hand under the chest, tilt slightly, the other hand supports the behind.

Behaviour

The squeaking of the guinea pig is for communication. They often do this when they are away from home or when it is dinner time. If the guinea pig is grunting, he feels good, but if he hisses, he is angry.

A guinea pig must be kept active, because they get bored quickly and then they become stiff, fat and lazy. Give them enough exercise and distraction. For example, have them climb over or walk through everything. Possibly a wooden ball, they like playing with. Do not over do it because they are vulnerable animals. A guinea pig is difficult to teach tricks.

A guinea pig hardly sleeps, at most 4 hours a day, spread over the day and no longer than for example 10 minutes at a time. They do not hibernate and can hear very well. A guinea pig can attach itself well to the person taking care of it and also recognizes that person.

Reproduction

The sow and the little bear are sexually mature from 60-70 days of age. It is better to cover the female after 4 months, but preferably for the 9-12 months. Otherwise the left and right pelvic bone have grown together and the delivery becomes much more difficult. The female also becomes fatter after she has grown and is therefore less fertile, so there is more chance of pregnancy poisoning.

The female is rut every 16-18 days, for a duration of 24 hours.

Wearing time between 66-68 days (60-72 days). If this lasts longer than 72 days please do see a vet.

Set the male aside a few days before delivery. The female does not need extra food during pregnancy.

A throw usually has 3-5 young. These youngsters are born with permanent teeth and can therefore immediately eat solid food. They are immediately mobile at birth and the eyes are open. Give the youngsters a lot of green food in the beginning, they will later start eating concentrate themselves. As a drink you give 1 part cow's milk and 2 parts water. In addition, they also drink with the mother. When they are 3 weeks old they can leave mother. Males can be castrated at 2 months of age, but preferably from 6 months due to anesthesia risk.

Nutrition and housing

Keep them in a cage of at least 70 × 40 cm, no wood, preferably a container with a raised edge and on top a grille. Sawdust with hay on the bottom. No straw as this can injure the guinea pig. As a food bowl one made of earthenware with a broader base than the top, because the guinea pig often topples it over. Preferably give water by means of a drinking bottle, which can be attached to the bars of the loft. Furthermore, a rack for green food. Make sure the loft is not on the draft and place 1 side against the wall so that they have a quiet spot. Clean the loft twice a week.

Vitamin C is important for a guinea pig (15 mg per day, with pregnancy 30 mg). This is normally in good guinea pig food, but it should not be too old. Furthermore, it is in green food. Give green food 1 or 2 hands full in the rack several times a day. This can consist of picked grass, dandelion, vegetables and fruit. Not too many types of cabbage, because they can cause gas to accumulate.They must always have access to sufficient hay. Feed the guinea pig several times a day and do not suddenly change food habits.

Prevention of diseases

A guinea pig does not have to be vaccinated against anything.

Guinea pigs that receive a lot of green food from the field must be dewormed twice a year. Guinea pigs can also get fleas and ticks. Ticks can simply be removed, just like with the dog. Not all means are suitable for flea control. Note the soles of the guinea pig, because they are very sensitive and can be injured quickly.

Diseases

In the absence of vitamin C, a guinea pig can get scurvy, the guinea pig then becomes listless, has pain when walking and the teeth let go. If any of this happens, give vitamin C powder to the drinking water, give parsley or make an appointment at the vet for a check up and possibly an injection of vitamins.

A guinea pig can catch a cold due to drafts or wet areas. It then has a dirty nose and sneezes occasionally. Place the guinea pig in a draft-free, dry, warm place. Keep it warm and give lots of fruit and vegetables. If there is no improvement, make an appointment with the vet.

Teary eyes are also caused by a cold caused by drafts. Treatment is the same, but if the discharge becomes dirty from the eyes, make an appointment with us.

Paralysis may occur and may be caused by a virus disease from another infected guinea pig.

Bare spots on the skin can be a sign of scabies.

There may also be hooks on the molars, making it difficult or even impossible for the guinea pig to eat. As soon as you notice that your guinea pig is eating less, contact the us immediately.

Diarrhea is often due to incorrect nutrition. When this happens do not give the guinea pig any green food for a few days. If the diarrhea is caused by a bacterium and the guinea pig is sick. Moldy food can also cause diarrhea.

Itching of the ears can indicate ear scab or ear mite. There are then scabs in the ears. These must first be removed and an otoscope must be used to check whether the eardrum is still intact before the ear can be cleaned.